Panel to decide location of AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: A committee appointed by the Centre to identify a location for setting up AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh would visit the state soon, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Kamineni Srinivas said on Friday.

Talking to reporters here after a review meeting with all districts health officers and other officials of his ministry, he said that of the Rs 1,000 crore meant for the project, the Union Government has already sanctioned Rs 120 crore for preliminary work.

The Union Government also announced setting up of a drug testing laboratory in the state in its Budget 2014-15.

The Centre has released Rs 45 crore each for Nellore and Kurnool general hospitals. The AP state government plans to set up two super speciality hospitals at Vijayawada and Anantapur at a cost of Rs 150 crore each, the minister said.

The super specialty hospital at Vijayawada would be linked to the NTR Health University for which the government is on the look-out for about 100 acres of land near Vijayawada, he added.

Srinivas also announced that a multi-drug vaccine would be administered to all children in October to contain infant deaths for which the health department has a detailed plan of action.